What a coincidence! Yesterday, I spoke with Tasha Marie; today, I sit down with author and Founder of Ambitious Ink Presents, Chyna L., who is the publisher of Tasha.
EA: What was your journey like before becoming an author?
CL: The good thing about this question is that anyone who has read my first series, already knows exactly what my journey has been like. A lot of ups and downs. A lot of hard lessons learned and a lot of struggling within myself. I can't say that I had a rough life, but what I can say is that I went through a whole lot of stuff in a very short amount of time. From teen pregnancy to reconnecting with God, my journey so far has covered almost every spectrum of any young woman's life.
EA: Who are some of your biggest influences?
CL: My mother is my every day inspiration. She's been through more than a simple three book series could ever cover, yet she's still standing strong. She and I have been through a lot over the years; some good, some bad. But once I was really able to take a step back and see just how much she's done for me as a single mother, our bond became unbreakable. That's my bestie right there.
EA: What is the concept of the Risking It All For My Hustla series?
CL: The concept is simple. Elevate. Progress. Know better, do better. In any and every situation. Through any and every struggle. The main character in that story, which most people don't know happens to be myself, goes through so many hardships but in the end she becomes a better person. This is all that really matters at the end of the day. Just be a better person you while you can.
EA: Is writing a novel easy?
CL: Writing this particular series was easy in some aspects because all I was doing was recalling events and putting my own little twist on them here and there. In other aspects it was hard for that same exact reason. Opening up and revealing all of your inner most secrets to the world is no easy task, but I definitely don't regret doing it.
EA: You're also the founder of the publishing company, Ambitious Ink Presents. How were you able to get that started? What are the requirements for being an author with Ambitious Ink?
CL: To be honest, after I published the very first book in the Risking It All Series, I immediately started thinking about starting my own publishing company. For me, personally, it's bigger than just writing. Yes, writing is my passion, but I am also passionate about growing. That being said, as I was writing the other two books in the series, I begin to research and teach myself what I felt that I needed to know to do this thing on my own. Four months after my first book released, I received my business license for "Ambitious Ink Presents". A month after that I signed my very first author, Tasha Marie and a month after that we dropped her very first book Small City Big Dreams. From there, it's only been up.
As far as being an author with Ambitious Ink there are no exact requirements. I take submissions for all genres and I give all submissions my undivided attention. But what I look for the most is creativity and the ability to step outside of the box and set yourself apart from the rest. Oh and of course you have to have ambition!
EA: Would you tell us more about your endeavors in the fashion and music industry?
CL: To be honest, I don't really dibble and dabble in the fashion world as much as I use to. Now I just consider myself extremely fashionable where as in my younger days, when I use to do runway shows, I considered myself to be somewhat of a fashionista. I am way over those days now. But thanks to my sister in Christ and best friend Kyana also known as Kiki Banks, I am very in tuned with the music industry. I can't even begin to explain how dope of an artist she is so it's only right that I support her one thousands percent. Video shoots, shows, studio sessions, interviews, you can find me right there holding her down. Love you Ki!
EA: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
CL: Just be yourself and don't try to follow the trends. Focus on writing from your heart and not so much on writing what you think is going to sell. I respect individuality over sales all day.
EA: Finally, tell the readers why the Risking It All For My Hustla series is a must buy.
CL: Because its real, and I mean this literally and figuratively. I put my heart and my soul into this series. I exposed things about my world I didn't even want to remember existed. I feel like this series can and has set a lot of people free from their own inner demons, because we all do have them. But once you read the series and you see where I've been in comparison to where I am, you'll be able to see firsthand just how God works when you let him. Oh and then you can read the spin off story Ambitions of a Savage that just released two weeks ago and is available on Kindle right now.
Epilogue
Going back to Chyna's advice, I couldn't have put it any better myself. Although I believe in being resourceful, in other words, taking something you find applicable from others and adding it to own approach, overall, have or develop your own style. Blaze your own trail. Don't merely emulate someone else, or just follow whatever the trend is.
It's not easy opening up and revealing things you would rather keep hidden, whether it's from shame, fear, or a combination of both. It takes more strength than one thinks. I definitely want to thank Chyna for speaking with me. For more on Chyna, you can follow her on social media by visiting the hyperlinks below. If you're interested in becoming an author for Ambitious Ink, you can email her at ambitiousinkpresents@gmail.com.
Instagram: @authoresschynal
Facebook: The Chyna L Experience
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